


Tested & Tender

by justbygrace



Series: Post GitF [2]
Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Angst, Canon Compliant, F/M, NSFW, post gitf, references to Reinette
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-23
Updated: 2016-10-23
Packaged: 2018-08-24 02:55:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,431
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8354164
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justbygrace/pseuds/justbygrace
Summary: Set post Rise of the Cybermen/Age of Steel with many references to GitF angst.





	1. The Adventure

**Author's Note:**

> A prompt fic once upon a time, though by whom or what the prompt was I have long since forgotten.  
> References to 'The Lion, The Witch, & The Wardrobe' are very intentional.

There were some days when Rose was at peace with the universe, happy to be the Doctor's plus one, and loving the adventures through space and time. And then there were days when she considered that chucking the Doctor into the nearest black hole and stealing away the TARDIS for a bit of space/time adventure would be just the thing. This was one of the latter sort of days.

It had started out just fine, as most days did. They'd had a series of "everybody lives" sort of adventures with minimal danger to life and limb and really, she ruminated, that should have been her first clue. But no, she had been lulled into a false sense of security and so when the Doctor had suggested a visit to the Arctic - the planet, not the continent- she hadn't thought anything of it. She had bundled up in the furs the TARDIS had provided and met him at the front door, not terribly surprised to see him seated astride a snowmobile. 

The arctic gale - pun fully intended - had been bracing at first, the snowy landscape positively charming, the opportunity to wrap her arms around the Doctor's middle definitely not something to turn her nose up at. However, trouble, as per usual, was not far behind. 

The attack came out of nowhere. One moment the Doctor was giving the history of the Arctic and the next his voice was cut off by a snowball to the face. She laughed, thinking it was a bit of snow kicked up by the craft and then she was hit on the ear. After that the snowballs came thick and fast, making it impossible for the Doctor to pilot the snowmobile. Each missile was a packed hard and tight to cause the maximum amount of pain when they exploded on their target and by the time the Doctor abandoned the craft, grabbing Rose's hand and running for the cover of the trees, both of them were bleeding from various cuts to the face and hands.

The spot the Doctor dragged them to was under an overhang of fir trees, but they hardly had time to enjoy the shelter before the ice banks around them seemed to explode, revealing small creatures dressed all in white and armed with what appeared to be snow guns. The Doctor's shout of "run" was unnecessary and the two of them tried to take off in the direction of the TARDIS. Unfortunately they had been making good time on the snowmobile and the TARDIS was hours away by foot. The situation was looking grim and they both knew it.

They hadn't gone more than a half dozen meters when their progress was once again halted. This time it was because a sleigh had pulled abruptly in front of them. It was drawn by elegant reindeer and driven by a dwarf, but it was the lone occupant that arrested Rose's gaze. The rider of the sleigh was by far the tallest human (or alien) that Rose had ever laid eyes on with alabaster skin, fur robes, and an actual crown with sparkling diamonds on it. For a moment she stared at the woman, trying to recover her breath without panting too loudly, it somehow seemed as if the queen would frown upon that sort of thing. She was just about to get the Doctor's opinion when his grip went slack.

She turned to look at him in shock, but the Doctor was already moving forward towards the sleigh. Rose made to follow him, but the queen gave her a sudden glare and Rose stopped where she was. She watched with growing concern as the Doctor stepped into the sleigh and sat down opposite the queen, drawing the robes over his knees. Rose waited for him to look back at her, to acknowledge her, or even to pull out the psychic paper but he did nothing, only sat and stared at the queen with a look of abject longing on his face that filled Rose with a great desire to slap him.

Before Rose could even begin to formulate a plan, the queen yelled out a command, the dwarf raised his whip and the reindeer surged forward, dragging the sleigh swiftly into the woods and out of sight. She stared after it with frustration before turning and trudging in the direction of the snowmobile. The attack from the snow creatures had ceased at the appearance of the queen and hadn't restarted and Rose knew that the vehicle was her only hope for rescuing the Doctor.

She shook her head at the thought. This was not the adventure she'd had in mind for the day. It had been only a few short weeks since France and then the parallel earth and she wasn't feeling up for rescuing the Doctor from the clutches of royalty again quite so soon. Part of her wanted to take the snowmobile and head back for the TARDIS and give the Doctor five and a half hours to show up. The thought was uncharitable and she knew it, but the look on the Doctor's face when he was staring at the queen was hovered before Rose's eyes in technicolor.

They'd had the Celebrities-We-Would-Totally-Shag conversation without formally making any "we are actually a goddamned couple" declarations and, at the time, Rose had been okay with how things were - tested and a little bit tender - but with ice crystals in her hair, sopping socks, bleeding cheeks, and a wind-burnt nose, she was feeling decidedly less than okay with any of it. The visits they'd had between leaving Jackie's and arriving on Arctic had been semi-peaceful and she knew it was because the Doctor wasn't certain if one wrong step of his would leave her demanding he return her home promptly. She had no plans to do so, but she was going to give him a piece of her mind about meeting too many more of the celebrities on his list. 

She made it back to the snowmobile with no more encounters with the snow creatures. It took several false starts before it finally kicked to life and, as she turned it towards where the sleigh had disappeared, she tried not to wonder if the Doctor wanted to be rescued. There would time enough for that later.

It was easier than she expected it to be to track the sleigh through the snow. The queen apparently wasn't concerned about potential rescue missions and Rose was able to keep half an eye on the tracks and most of her brain on reminding herself why traveling with the Doctor was worth the monsters, as Reinette had so patronizingly put it. She knew she still loved him, the adventures of late had not been able to chip away at the love that was forged long before this current face, but she also wasn't willing to be dragged from planet to planet like a pet puppy. Even if he was never able to really say the words, she needed a more formal declaration of his feelings. 

The walls of the castle rose up to meet her long before she had come to any sort of conclusion. Rose left the snowmobile in a patch of snow-covered bushes and followed the sleigh tracks to the front of the massive structure. She had no interest in trying to sneak about - she was far too cold and wet - and, anyway, the queen had shown her no interest the first time around, perhaps she would maintain that same level of detachment. 

If Rose had been less miserable she knew she would have oohed and ahhed over the castle. It was built entirely of ice, intricately carved and decorated. The light of the sun made it glisten and sparkle and it looked like something direct from a fairytale. She spared a vague hope that the day would end with the fairytale's conclusion in her favor as she entered the courtyard. 

There were definite downsides to ice castles, Rose quickly discovered. In fact, the only redeeming feature was the fact that it provided a break to the wind. The floors were slippery and she lost her footing several times, the icy sculptures just made her feel colder, and there was very little natural light coming through the thick walls. She was surprised by how cold it still was, but she didn't care as much about the scientific phenomenon as the Doctor would have.

It seemed to take hours before she finally found what she assumed was the throne room. At least, there was a giant throne carved out of a solid block of ice on which the queen perched. The dwarf was standing at attention nearby, but it was the Doctor who immediately caught her attention. He was slumped to his side, ice crystals dusting his hair, with a very blank look on his face. The list of various remedies for mind-altering drugs the Doctor had made her memorize post-Cassandra ran through her mind as she stared at him.

"At last you have come." The queen's voice - reminding Rose of nails on a chalkboard - rang across the cavernous room.

"You were expecting me then?" Rose walked into the room, keeping one eye on the Doctor who showed no sign of having recognized her voice or that anyone was speaking.

"Of course. Not you, necessarily, but I knew that once word spread, the ladies would come." The queen sounded very pleased with herself.

"I don't think word has spread that much," Rose said. "And remember me? You literally saw me an hour ago."

"Did I?" The queen tilted her head as if considering and then shrugged. "I do not recall you."

"Thanks for that," Rose muttered under her breath and then continued more loudly, "What did you send word to the ladies about?"

"Why, about him! He is a male and one of particularly high breeding capabilities, it would appear." The queen seemed surprised by the question.

Rose snorted at the thought of anyone suggesting that the Doctor had "high breeding capabilities" and then swiftly sobered. "Alright, well, what's a girl to do to get him then?"

"Are you new to my realm?" the queen asked. "You must only prove in some way that he would respond to you."

"Respond to me? Respond to me how?" Visions of the Doctor "responding" to her flashed in her mind and she had to fight down a sudden flare of interest in the idea.

"That obviously depends on him and you." The queen raised an eyebrow.

Rose was quite suddenly very sick of royalty. "Listen here, can you stop being so annoying and speak plainly? I haven't the slightest idea what you're talking about! I'm cold and tired and wet and I just want him to wake up so I can properly yell at him and we can go back to the TARDIS and I can take a bath."

The queen stared at her with shock written across her features for a long moment before she relaxed. "I am sorry, my dear. I did not realize you were not from around here. You speak of things I do not understand, but you appear to know who this male is."

"Yes!" Rose interrupted. "I do know him."

"Is he..." the queen paused delicately.

Rose nodded, hoping the queen wouldn't question her further about what, exactly, the Doctor was.

"Then I am sorry for this. I was not aware that he was claimed. Unfortunately that does not change the fact that he is still under my charms and you will need to wake him up. However, you should be able to do so with ease," the queen explained.

"I'm afraid I still don't understand." Rose was standing close enough to the Doctor to touch his cheek, but she worked to keep her hands at her sides in case that would mess up whatever was going on.

"Just do something that is unique to you and him. Sing, kiss him, whatever you need to do. I am unattached and do not know all the ways that woman keep their males happy." The queen shrugged, but still stared at Rose and the Doctor quizzically. "It is strange though, that I should have been able to penetrate his defenses so quickly. Most women keep their males psychic walls very high and thick."

"I'll have to remind him, must be getting slack about it," Rose said, squatting down beside the Doctor and staring at his blank eyes.

She hadn't the slightest idea how she was going to wake him up. Should she kiss him? They had done that only twice and neither had been a particular fond memory. She could hug him, but the Doctor hugged everybody, it might not have the desired effect. What she really wanted was for the queen to go away so that she could experiment, but she had the feeling that she hadn't really bought her story and was fully expecting whatever Rose did to fail, an opinion Rose was beginning to share. 

Without thinking, Rose grabbed his hand, intertwining their fingers while she thought about the best way to proceed. She was startled when the Doctor let out a sudden groan and started blinking ferociously. 

"Oh my! I guess you really are his mate," the queen said in a tone that reeked of disappointment. "Congratulations to you both."

The Doctor turned his head and met Rose's startled gaze. He immediately broke into a broad grin and opened his mouth, no doubt to compliment himself on their brilliant adventure. But Rose could take no more and she punched him solidly on his bicep before flinging her arms around him and burying her face in his shoulder. He rocked backwards a little and let out a noise of imagined pain, but his arms came up around her immediately and he held her close, muttering concerns about her health and well-being over the top of her head.

Eventually Rose composed herself and drew back, standing up and extending her hand to help the Doctor to his feet. 

"I say," the Doctor began, head swiveling to take in their surroundings, but Rose cut him off.

"Thanks I think, your majesty, but I must take him back to our ship now." She half-curtsied and dragged the Doctor towards to the door, hardly acknowledging the queen's farewell.

"Rose, Rose, Rose!" The Doctor exclaimed as Rose led him through the maze of hallways. "Rose! That was an actual queen and there was a dwarf and look ice! It's made of ice." He made a sudden lurch towards the wall.

"No licking icy walls, Doctor. Haven't you learned that lesson yet?" she asked, keeping a tight hold of his hand. "Though it might serve you right."

"For what? Rose, what did I do? I thought the planet was brilliant! Ice and snow! The snow creatures were a bit annoying, but you liked it. You were laughing! Admittedly I don't remember much after we got attacked, but Rose, I think they just wanted to play. I really think they were just being playful." The Doctor's rambled as they walked, staring at their surroundings like a toddler.

"Yeah, I don't think they wanted to play," she told him. "And after we got attacked you were put under a psychic spell by that Ice Queen and she was planning to sell you to the highest bidder due to your 'high breeding capabilities.'"

"My what?" the Doctor squeaked. "Rose, I don't know what she was telling you, but my breeding..."

"That doesn't concern me," Rose said hastily, not interested in hearing the end of that sentence. "But she said your psychic barriers were low. Why are they low?"

They had reached the castle's courtyard and the Doctor followed Rose towards where she had left the snowmobile.

"Erm, no reason really. I think I'm tired and haven't had a chance to recharge them recently," he said with a vague wave of his arms that was somewhat dampened when he smacked his hand on a bush and got a face full of snow.

"Recharging?" she asked skeptically, restraining her snicker as he shook the snow out of his hair. "You said your barriers are always at peak capability."

"Well, they usually are. I just, it's no reason really. I'll make sure they are back at full capacity first thing," he said, swinging one leg over the snowmobile and waiting for her to clamber up behind him. "Ready?"

"Yeah," she agreed. 

There was something fishy about his explanation, but she couldn't put her finger on it. It wasn't until she could see the TARDIS through the trees that it suddenly hit her.

"Doctor?"

He grunted in response.

"Didn't you tell me once that you always made sure your barriers were always up before you left the TARDIS? And that lowering them was either something that you had to do yourself purposefully or that someone did to you deliberately?" she asked, dismounting and waiting for him to unlock the TARDIS.

"Yeah, I might have said something like that," he agreed, going back to drive the snowmobile into the ship.

She waited until the doors were closed behind them and he was tapping buttons at the TARDIS to continue. "Nothing has happened recently to lower your barriers by outside forces, we haven't been captured for ages, which means you must be lowering them on purpose," she concluded.

He picked up the mallet and gave a section of the console a particularly vicious smack.

"Doctor?" she repeated. "Why are you lowering your barriers?"

He said nothing for a long moment, but finally muttered, "It was a silly reason. But obviously it was pointless. I'm putting them back up."

She opened her mouth to question him further but there was something about the set of his shoulders that made her back off. "If you say so. I'm off to take a shower then," she sighed.

He gave no indication that he'd heard her and she set off down the corridor with a heavy heart. There was something obviously wrong and it had happened after she had woken him up. Running the conversation back through her head, she tried to think about how each thing she'd said would have sounded to the Doctor and what conclusions he'd drawn from her words. 

Rose was nearly to her bedroom when she suddenly knew what was wrong. Turning around, she ran back up the hall, heart pounding in fear and hope. If she was right...well, she could hardly dream that she might be and she needed to know at once before he did anything particularly daft. When she arrived back in the console room she found the Doctor slumped in the jumpseat with his face buried in his hands.

Staying in the doorway, Rose gripped her courage with both hands, and called, "Unless, I don't know, you could join me in the shower, if you want."

She watched as his head jerked up and he stared at her in shock. "Rose...what?"

"I know why you were lowering your barriers and Doctor, I am quite interested in your 'breeding' capabilities," she said, complete with finger quotes.

He slowly stood to his feet and walked over, waiting until he was just outside of touching distance to speak. "Are you sure?"

Her humor faded as she stared at him. His eyes were dark, disbelief warring with a growing hope, and she gave up trying to answer him in words. Instead she placed her hands on his shoulders and reached up to press her lips to his. He was still beneath her for one second, two, three, and then suddenly he came alive, his hands moving between her hair, her shoulders, her waist and back again as he returned her kiss. 

Rose smiled, actual words might be more than her Time Lord could handle, but he did demonstrations quite well and she was very interested to see just how enthusiastic this next demonstration would be.


	2. And What Came of It

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NSFW. Extremely NSFW.

Rose was no passive observer now that the Time Lord was waking up (in more ways than one if the evidence she could feel pressed into her belly was any indication) and she pushed her hands into hair, pulling and twisting the silky strands even as she stroked his tongue with her own.

At length he pulled back so that she could breath, his eyes looking deeply into hers to gauge how serious she was, that this was something she wanted. She stared back, determined that he would understand her desire, especially as his expression suggested that talking might be a bit out of his grasp at the moment. 

She smiled, stepping further into him and pressing kisses to his cheeks, nose, and eyelids before lowering her mouth to his clavicle. Sliding her hands down his chest, she unbuttoned his jacket and shoved it from his shoulders before going to work on the fastenings of his shirt. She'd never appreciated the sheer amount of layers he wore and right then she despised it even more. At last she was pushing his shirt from his body and divesting him of his undershirt, smoothing her hands over his chest and stomach, tangling a bit with the hair that led to his groin. 

He groaned as her tongue left trails across his skin. She sucked one nipple into her mouth, licking it, nipping, and then soothed it with her tongue. Her fingers came up to play with the other, scratching softly from his nipple down his side and back up as she transferred her attentions to his other nipple. The low sounds he was making reverberated beneath her mouth and she could feel her own thighs grow wet.

Still lavishing the Doctor's chest with her tongue and teeth, Rose slid her hands down to the button of his pants, flipping it open and lowering the zip. She slowly dropped to her knees, continuing to lick and suck her way over his stomach, giving special attention to his belly button as she pulled down his trousers and pants in one go. 

He made a noise as if he would stop her, but Rose was face to face with his erection and she wasn't interested in anything else just then. She flicked out her tongue, caressing the tip and causing a surprised gasp to come from the Doctor's mouth. Tilting her head back, she smiled up at him, her grin only growing when she caught sight of his face, mouth hanging open and a dazed expression in his eyes.

Rose let her fingers dance along the length, focusing on the underside from base to tip. When she got to the tip she ran her fingernails over it softly, smirking when he swelled further under her ministrations. With her left hand she cupped his balls, rolling them together before transferring her hand to the base of his cock, stroking up and down, adding a twist every third or fourth stroke. Only when she could hear his moans did she lower her mouth over him.

She took him as deep as she could, relaxing her throat and using her tongue to adjust the depth. Continuing to stroke him with her left hand, she caressed his balls with her right, she used her teeth to lightly graze his shaft, soothing with her tongue, giving special attention to the tip. She could hear his moans growing in volume and it was only a few moments before she felt the Doctor's hands grasp on her shoulders.

Releasing his cock with an audible pop, she allowed him to pull her up to meet him. He kissed her desperately, his tongue diving into her mouth again and again as his hands pulled almost frantically at her clothing. Stepping backwards out of his reach, Rose crossed her arms, pulling off her shirt in one fluid moment. She spared a thought that she might have worn something other than a bra built for running if she had known how the day was going to end, but judging by the look on his face, he wasn't complaining. 

He reached out to touch her, but she shook her head, slightly surprised when he dropped his hands back to his sides and simply watched. She wasn't sure where the idea of being in charge came from, but it was heady and she decided to take full advantage of it. Placing her hands on her sides, she smoothed them down over her ribcage and stomach, before slipping her fingers into the waistband of her trousers. She was suddenly thankful for the stretchy pants the TARDIS had provided for her that morning as she was able to slide them off her hips in one movement. 

The look on the Doctor's face - pure adoration and awe - was worth every bit of embarrassment she was feeling over her impromptu strip show. With one hand she reached up and flicked open the clasp of her bra, letting it dangle but leaving it in place as she slid one hand into her knickers and rubbed her clit with two fingers. She couldn't hold back the gasp at the sensation and the sudden eroticism of the whole moment, but recovered quickly, determined to make the Doctor learn to appreciate her before he got to touch.

Rose slid the left strap of her bra down her shoulder, exposing her breast to the Doctor's hungry gaze and her own questing fingers. Rolling her nipple between her fingers, she continued to play with her clit, sliding her fingers back and forth until they were soaked in her wetness. She knew it wouldn't take too much to get her to come and as much as the thought of making the Doctor watch her get off without his help, she had waited too long for the feel of his fingers in her. Maybe next time.

Removing her fingers from her center, Rose stepped towards the Doctor, gratified when he waited to see what she was going to do instead of moving. She presented her fingers to his lips and he instantly closed his mouth over them, licking and sucking every drop of moisture from them. Shrugging her shoulders so her bra slid down her arms, she pulled her fingers from his mouth, smiling when he tried to follow them, and let her bra fall to the floor, kicking her knickers off to join it.

Taking another step forward, Rose leaned up and pressed her lips to the Doctor's, guiding his hands to her waist. Still he waited, waited for her lead, she realized. She was unsure of how far he was willing to follow her, but she was quite eager to find out.

She grabbed his hands and backed up until her back hit the opposite wall. Once there she directed his hands to her breasts, pleased when he began to squeeze and fondle them. Hesitantly he leaned forward and pulled one into his mouth and she encouraged him with breathy sighs and noises. He rolled the tip between his tongue and teeth, using his fingers to pull and twist the other into an engorged point before switching to give the other equal attention.

At length she gently pushed his head back, directing him to wait while she rifled through her coat pocket for her emergency condom (a habit Jackie had insisted upon since she was fourteen). Ripping the foil wrapper off with one swift movement of her teeth - a performance the Doctor watched with his mouth hanging open - Rose rolled it up his cock, giving him a light squeeze when it was situated.

Rose grasped the Doctor's shoulders, jumping so that her legs were wrapped around his waist, and trusting that he could support her. He did, so easily and effortlessly she was almost surprised. She reached down, spreading her center wide and gripping his shaft and he lifted her hips enough for her to slide down onto him. 

The feeling of his cock inside of her at last was almost more than she could handle and by the almost whimpers that were coming from the Doctor, he felt much the same. Rose wrapped her arms around the Doctor's neck and braced her back against the wall. Her breasts were in his face and his arms were clutching her waist as he began to move his hips. It was awkward at first as they worked to figure out a rhythm that didn't end with her smacking her head against the wall or him cracking his head against her collarbone, but eventually they discovered that he could lift her with her assistance.

Her fingernails were biting into his shoulders as he thrust up into her and she could feel her orgasm within reach. With one hand she reached between them and found her clit, twisting and rubbing in time with his movements. With the force of a storm, her climax hit her, tossing her to the highest peak before plummeting her down, down, down. 

When she recollected herself, the Doctor had slowed as if waiting for her instructions. Pressing his shoulder, she guided him to the floor and with one movement, Rose raised her self off of him and turned around, sinking back onto him with a groan. He sat up, his lips pressed to the back of her neck and his hands coming around to tentatively caress her breasts. 

Rose began to move in gentle circles, gradually increasing the temp as she found another wave growing within her. This time she was determined to take him with her and she moved more forcefully, deliberately twisting one way on the way up and the other on the way down. His groans were growing louder as his fingers pinched and rolled her nipples almost painfully. Lifting herself almost off of him, Rose slammed back down, taking him all the way in before rising up and repeating the process.

Just as the second wave of pleasure swept through her, she felt his body shudder, his cock shooting off time and again deep within her. Vaguely she sensed his fingers pressing to her temples and then she lost.

She felt the first tendrils of his consciousness caressing her, beckoning her, welcoming her further in. It was a siren call she couldn't resist and she flung open the doors of her mind, bidding him to enter and join her. She felt the world tip sideways, spinning, hurtling through space as her first Doctor had put it, but then she was safe, still in the console room and yet suspended in time somewhere far above earth. His love for her washed over her, soaking her in the warmth of a burning sun, and reassuring her that he was entirely, devotedly, completely hers.

When she once again became aware of her surroundings, the Doctor had shifted so that she lay on his chest, her head resting on his shoulder and his hands carding through her hair. Through the general haze she thought she could still feel a buzz in her consciousness, but she couldn't pin it down. As she slowly resurfaced, she remembered more details about what had occurred and her cheeks flamed in embarrassment. 

His chest moved beneath her and it took her a moment to realize that he was laughing. She raised her head to glare at him, but when she saw the fond smile on his face she couldn't bring herself to be mad at him.

"I'm sorry?" she ventured. 

He sobered instantly, his arms tightening around her. "I'm not. Not at all. And I won't ever be."

"But, I...I..." she cut off, unwilling to go on. Her earlier self-confidence was completely gone.

"Yes," he said, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. "You did. I was very turned on by what you did or did you not notice that bit?" He moved his hips suggestively and she had to laugh.

"I noticed," she said dryly. 

"So, we're good then? You and I, I mean? We're good, friends, more than friends, but still very much best friends, right?" He searched her eyes.

"Best friends and lovers," she said through a yawn, suddenly becoming aware that she was naked and lying on top of a naked Time Lord in a sticky mess.

"Good, brilliant that. Now, you never did get that shower..." he broke off and raised his eyebrows at her.

She laughed and then groaned as she moved to roll off of him. "Come along then, Time Lord. Let's see about joint showering then."

He jumped to his feet and held out one hand, eyes fairly sparkling with interest. "Allons-y!"


End file.
